Strength-testing machine.



F. P. CLEVELAND. STRENGTH TESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1912.

Patented July 1, 1913.

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FRED P; CLEVELAND, 0F HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO B. F. PERKINSAND SON, INCORPORATED, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

STRENGTH-TESTING MACHINE.

'1 b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED P. CLEVELAND, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of IIolyoke, in the county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStrength-Testing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to a machine or apparatus for testing anddetermining the strain under which sheet material, such, for instance,as leather, cloth or the like, when subjected to a pulling strain froman in cision or perforation thereunder, will become torn from the slitout to the margin.

In testing sheet material like pateiit leather, or other leathers, thepractice has been that of slitting with a knife through the sheet, nearthe margin, and, inserting the forefinger through the slit, pulling onthe material until the same becomes torn out from the slit to theedge,--reliance being placed for the determination of the strength ofthe material upon the expertness and judgment of the person testing.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for clamping thesheet material at one point, permitting a marginal portion thereof tooverlap relatively to a carriage or slidable member, cooperative withwhich is a tool which not only makes an incision through the materialbut re mains in engagement therewith and constitutes a pulling elementas an appurtenance of the carriage,together with means for imparting asliding movement to the carriage, and a pressure gage for indicating thedegree of force necessarily exerted by the carriage moving means foreffecting the tearing through to the edge of the sheet materialpenetrated by the said tool.

The invention is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsand set forth in the claims.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a sectional elevation substantiallycentrally through the improved machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged partialsection, vertically, of the slidable carriage having a gage and anincising tool in cooperative relations thereto. Fig. 3 is a crosssectional View of a part of the machine as taken on line 33, Fig. 1.Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views showing the Patented July 1 1913.

Serial No. 673,985.

gage and a marginal portion of the sheet material being tested, togetherwith the incising tool, and representing conditions before and after themaking of the test.

In the drawings, A represents the body or stationary base of theapparatus having a cylindrical bore B extending longitudinally andhorizontally therein.

a and Z) represent annular bushing plugs screw engaged in the ends ofthe bored base; and within the bore are pistons C and D, provided withsuitable cup leathers or bydraulic packing, and arranged in suitablesepa 'ation to give space for occupancy between them of a body a: ofliquid, such as glycerin. The piston C as to a portion of its length ismade tubular and internally screw threaded and receives engagementtherewithin of the threaded inner end portion of a screw shaft F whichis rotatably fitted through the annular bushing plug a, but renderedendwise immo "able by the abutment. of the shoulders g g. The said shaftF provided with a hand wheel G for conveniently turning it and securingthereby an endwise forcing movement of the piston C against the body ofliquid. The other piston D has a stem or extension 1) longitudinallyextended to the exterior of the end portion of the base support andprovided with a knob or shoulder 2', which in con junction with thebracket arm it forms a means by which with uniformity the piston D maynormally and determinatively be positioned at its datum or startingposition.

On the top and at or toward one end of the base support A is a clamp,here shown as comprising a standard j of goose neck form having thelower clamping member and the screw operated upper clamping member j,noparticular invention being comprised in the details of the clampingdevice,-it being su'llicient to state thereof that a roll of leather yor other sheet material may be disposed in the space partially oncircledby the goose neck standard, with more or less of the material toward oneedge thereof drawn horizontally between the upper and lower clampmembers j, j", to an overlapping relation to the carriage J, and thatthe portion between said clamp members may be confined in a fixedposition thereby.

The carriage, as herein termed, is made lower separated portions 70separated by a space 76 which leads from its end toward the fixed clampto the larger opening 70 in the carriage. The said separated upper andlower portions 72 70 of the carriage, have vertically alined openings m,m intersecting the horizontal opening. These alined vertical openingsare transversely elongated and receive the engagement therein of theincising tool L. The incising tool is made with a comparatively widebladeshaped lower portion a, a narrowed neck 41, above the bladeportion, and a handle provided shank a above the neck,such tool as hererepresented, though not necessarily so, being separable from thecarriage and is utilized manually.

The carriage J has an adjustable block 0 within the larger opening 70therein to make a gaging abutment for the marginal portion of the sheetmaterial brought through the horizontal opening is, the same having athreaded stem 0 extending through a longitudinally elongated slot 0 inthe top of the carriage and receiving the confining thumb nut 0 thereon.The carriage has a longitudinal extension arm or bar J 2 which has aconnection with the collar J 3 fastened on the piston rod or extension DFrom the space in the bore B between the pistons C and D, a passage frearwardly and upwardly leads to which is connected a con duit orpipe-like member f of a fluid pressure gage E, the character, manner ofconnection and mode of operation of which may be the same as that fullyand clearly described and shown in Letters Patent of the United Statesgranted to John L. Perkins, June 8, 1909, Number 924,579.

In the use of the present machine, the sheet material is positioned asshown in Fig. 1, held clamped between the members 7' and 7' andmarginally overlapped through the opening is relatively to the carriageJ; the incising tool is then guided and engaged through the alinedopenings m, m making the incision as represented at to, Fig. 4, throughthe sheet material atthe suitable distance from its edge aspredetermined or standardized by the gage abutment 0. The incising toolhas now become an appurtenance of the carriage, and constitutes a memberthereof operative for the exertion, under the endwise sliding movementof the carriage in a direction away from the fixed clamp, of a pullingstrain on the leather or other sheet material for securing its breakingthrough from the slit or incision to the edge in the manner more or lessnearly as represented in Fig. 5. The movement of the carriage J isimparted through the rotation of the hand wheel G which endwise movesthe piston C, and through the medium of the liquid interposed betweensuch piston and the one D, causes the movement of the latter piston andthe carriage therewith connected.

The pressure to which the liquid,some of which is displaced transverselyand is operative on the pressure gage E,is subjected during and at thetermination of the action of tearing the material from the incisionthrough to the edge, is indicated or registered on the pressure gage insubstantially the same manner as shown in the stretch testing machinedescribed in the J. L. Perkins patent above mentioned.

For making tearing out tests on leather, skin, or other sheet materialby the employment of a machine substantially as described, it becomeseasy not only to make what may be termed standardized incisions, that isthose having the same length and shape in all pieces, but to assure astandardized positioning of the incisions in the marginal portions ofthe materials being tested. The distance from the edge of the materialin which the slits or perforations are made may be as predetermined bythe setting of the abutment gage 0.

The incising tool although here 'repre sented as separable from thecarriage, may, if desired, be included as a permanent part of theorganized machine.

The carriage J is represented as detachably connected with the collar J3 of the piston extension D so that this part, as occasion requires, maybe interchanged on the Perkins strength testing machine hereinabovereferred to for the second and movable clamp which forms a component ofthe machine to be employed for the other charactor of sheet materialtesting.

I claim 1. In a strength testing machine, in combination, a supporthaving a clamp mounted in a fixed position thereon, for the confinementof sheet material, a carriage slidable on the support and relatively towhich an edge portion of the sheet material may be disposed, a deviceengageable with the carriage and for penetration of an edge portion ofthe sheet material disposed relatively to the carriage, means forimparting a slid ing movement to the carriage, a pressure gage, andmeans operable by the carriage sliding means and coeperative with saidgage, for indicating the degree of force eX- erted by the carriagesliding means for effecting a rupture of the sheet material penetratedby the carriage engaging member.

2. In a strength testing machine, in combination, a support having aclamp mounted in a fixed position thereon for the confinement of sheetmaterial, a carriage slidable on the support having separated portionsbetween which a marginal portion of the sheet material may be disposed,said separated portions havin a guideway for the engagement therein ot asheet material penetrating tool, a material penetrating tool engageablein said guideway, means for imparting a sliding movement to thecarriage, a pressure gage and means operable by the carriage slidingmeans and cooperative with sald gage, for indicating the degree of forceexerted on the carria e for the rupture of the material penetrated bysaid tool.

3. In a strength testing machine, in combination, a support having aclamp mounted in a fixed position thereon for the confinement of sheetmaterial, a carriage slidable on the support having separated portionsbetween which a marginal portion of the sheet material may be disposed,said separated portions having a guideway for the engagement therein ofa sheet material penetrating tool, a tool engageable in said guideway,means for imparting a sliding movement to the carriage, and meansoperable by the carriage sliding means and cooperative with said gage, apressure gage for indicating the degree of force exerted on the carriagefor the rupture of the material penetrated by said tool, and an abutmentmember provided on the carriage for gaging the distance from the edge ofthe sheet material of its penetration by said tool.

4. In a strength testing machine, in combination, a base support havinga cylindrical horizontal longitudinally extending liquid containing boretherein, a piston in the bore at one end of the contained liquid andmeans for moving it, another movable piston in the bore at the other endof the contained liquid having an extension projecting to the exteriorof the base support, a clamp mounted in a fixed position on the basesupport, for the confinement of sheet material, a carriage having aconnection with the extension of the second piston, slidable on thesupport and relatively to which an edge portion of the sheet materialmay be disposed, a device engageable with the carriage and forpenetration of an edge portion of the sheet mate-- rial disposedrelatively to the carriage, a pressure gage, and a conduit leading fromthe liquid containing bore to connection with, and for operating, thepressure gage.

5. In a strength testing machine, in combination, a base support havinga clamp mounted in a fixed position thereon for the confinement of sheetmaterial, a carriage slidable on the support having upper and lowerportions thereof in separation with the longitudinally extending spacebetween them opening toward the fixed clamp, said separated portionshaving vertically alined openings therein, a sheet material incisingtool adapted for insertion through said vertical openings and to have aportion thereof extend across said horizontally extending space, meansfor imparting a sliding movement to the carriage, a pressure gage, andmeans operable by the carriage sliding means and cooperative with saidgage, for indicating the degree of force exerted on the carriage for thetearing rupture of the material penetrated by said tool.

(3. In a strength testing machine, in combination, a base support havinga clamp mounted in a fixed position thereon for the confinement of sheetmaterial, a carriage slidable on the support having upper and lowerportions thereof in separation with the horizontally extending spacebetween them opening toward the fixed clamp, said separated portionshaving vertically alined openings therein, a sheet material incisingtool adapted for insertion through said vertical openings and to have aportion thereof extend across said horizontally extending space, anadjustable gage abutment provided on the carriage for determining theextent of overlapping of the sheet material, relatively to the carriage,means for imparting a sliding movement to the carriage, and a pressuregage for indicating the degree of force exerted on the carriage for thetearing rupture of the material penetrated by said tool.

7. In a strength testing machine, in combination, a base support havinga clamp mounted in a fixed position thereon for the confinement of sheetmaterial, a carriage slidable on the support having upper and lowerportions thereof in separation with the horizontally extending spacebetween them opening toward the Iixed clamp, said separated portionshaving vertically alined openings therein, a sheet material incisingtool adapted for insertion through said vertical openings and to have aportion thereof extend across said horizontally extending space,constructed with a comparatively wide blade shaped lower portion, anarrowed neck above the blade portion, and a handle above the neck,means for imparting a sliding movement to the carriage, and a pressuregage for indicating the degree of force exerted on the carriage for thetearing rupture of the material penetrated by said tool.

8. In a strength testing machine, in combination, a base support havinga stationary goose neck standard mounted thereon, provided with a baseextension to constitute a lower clamping member and having a movableclamping member operatively supported through the head of such standard,the space within the goose neck standard being adapted for theaccommodation of a roll of sheet material, a portion of which may bepassed between the clamping members, a

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carriage sliclable on the base support and relatively to which an edgeportion of the sheet material may have an overlapping disposition anincising tool appurtenant t0 the carriage and for penetration of an edgeportion of said sheet material, means for imparting a sliding movementto the carriage, and a pressure gage for indicating the 1 degree offorce eXerted by the carriage sliding means.

Signed by me at Holyoke, Mass, in presenee of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRED P, CLEVELAND. I Witnesses:

J, MCKAY, HENRY C. AVERY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

